Sammy-Jo Chmieluk killed after her older sister allegedly lost control and crashed at Palm Beach
IT started as a Sunday session at a southern Gold Coast surf club and ended in tragedy with one sister dead and another facing criminal charges.
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IT started as a Sunday session at a southern Gold Coast surf club and ended in tragedy with one sister dead and another facing criminal charges.
Candice Chmieluk, 29 and her younger sister, Sammy-Jo Chmieluk, 24, spent the afternoon catching up at Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club.
The two left the Pacific Pde club just after 5.30pm but didn’t get far.
Just 2km down the road Candice apparently lost control at high speed, her vehicle ploughing into a pole with the impact killing her sister.
The crash tore Candice’s black Jeep into pieces before the remaining wreckage burst into flames.
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Members of the public were able to drag Candice to safety but Sammy-Jo was killed instantly.
Paramedics have confirmed the 29-year-old Candice was in shock and could not talk when they arrived.
She has been tested for drugs and alcohol but police could not confirm the results yesterday.
Police have confirmed “excessive speed” was a factor and Candice, who is recovering from serious but non life-threatening injuries, could be charged.
Paramedic Ricky Arnold said Candice was conscious when emergency services responded.
“She was in shock and couldn’t really talk to us,” he said.
It is believed friends and surf club employees begged the girls not to leave in the car.
The sisters’ family is struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking crash and has been too distraught to speak.
A relative who lives in Armidale told the Gold Coast Bulletin the family was “in shock”.
“We still don’t know exactly what’s happened,” she said.
“The family are distraught and are trying to come to terms with the news at this stage.”
The sisters grew up in Armidale, all attending Armidale High School but Candice and elder sister Kristy, 33, moved to the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads several years ago.
Sammy-Jo was the only sister to remain based in the New England area of NSW but she made regular trips to the Coast to visit her sisters, nephews and niece.
Social media reveals the three were close, would often comment on each other’s posts, share childhood photos and plan visits.
Facebook posts show Sammy-Jo as a typical fun-loving 20-something, with pictures of her with friends, drinking wine and doting over her older sisters’ children.
Candice is a mother to two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and lives at Worongary with her long-time partner.
Yesterday the scene of the horrific crash was still littered with personal belongings, burnt plastic and broken glass.
A P-plate and a child’s dummy were visible among the rubble and a large area of burnt grass marked where the wreck came to rest.
A single bouquet of flowers with no card lay next to the light pole and a small red heart with the words, “You belong with the angels now”, was taped to a nearby tree.
Forensic officers are investigating the crash that senior police have described as one of the most horrendous they have responded to.
It is believed Sammy-Jo will be farewelled in a service in her hometown of Armidale.
Originally published as Sammy-Jo Chmieluk killed after her older sister allegedly lost control and crashed at Palm Beach
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